Emergency-key for automatic car-couplings.



No. 764,729. PATENTED JULY 12, 1904, J. T. KEATING. EMERGENCY KEY FORAUTOMATIC GAR COUPLINGS.

APPLICATION FILED DBO. 10. 1903. N0 MODEL.

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UNITED STATES Patented July 12, 1904.

PATENT OEEicE.

JOHN T. KEATING, OF GARRISON, KANSAS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 764,729, dated July 12,1904.

Application filed December 10, 1903. Serial No. 184,593. (No model.)

To all 1071,0712, it n'trty concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN T. KEATING, a citizen of the United States,residing at Garrison, in the county of Pottawatomie and State of Kansas,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Emergency-Keys forAutomatic Car-Couplings, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in temporary appliances forrecoupling cars equipped with the now generally-used couplings providedwith the open jaws and extended draw-heads with jointed knuckles orsimilar device attached thereto; and it consists of a metal block orwedge adapted to be inserted between said knuckles and take up the lostmotion incident to worn knuckles or sprung jaws, thereby making itpossible to recouple the cars without the use of the old-style link andpin, thus doing away with the necessity for the link-slot and pin-holein the knuckle,

and thereby strengthening that part of th coupling.

My invention and the manner of applying the same are hereinafterdescribed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figurel is a View in perspective of a carcoupling with my invention insertedtherein as when in use, and Fig. 2 a side elevation of my invention.

Similar letters and figures indicate like parts in both views.

The key A is a metal block or wedge approximately sixteen inches long,three inches wide, and three-eighths of an inch in thickness in the bodythereof, the lower end being tapered somewhat to facilitate itsinsertion in place for use. In the construction of the key, however, itsseveral dimensions may be varied as found necessary for use with thevarious styles of couplings. The upper end of said key is provided withthe horizontal projection 2, which I preferably make by slitting the topthereof to the depth of about two and onequarter inches one inch distantfrom what for convenience we will term the left side when holding onebroad surface of the key toward the body of the person constructing it,thus forming a strip one inch wide by two and one-quarter inches long,which is then bent toward the body at right angles with said key,forming a projection which when the key is in use rests on the top ofone of the knuckles and prevents said key from dropping out of place. Ahole 8 is also made through said key approximately on a level with theunder side of said projection, said hole serving as a means for hangingup said key when not in use and for preventing the key from dropping bythe insertion of a pin in lieu of said projection when the latter mayhave been broken off or removed. B and C represent the couplingknucklesreferred to above, and D D projections of the draw-heads, to which saidknuckles are respectively pivoted. E represents one of the jaws. It willbe seen that the object of placing the projection 2 on the prescribedside of said key is so the said projection will rest on that part ofsaid knuckle farthest from the point of passage of the opposite knuckle.The position of the key between said knuckles is shown by dotted lines.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is Y 1. An emergency-key consisting of a blockor wedge adapted to be placed between the knuckles of car-couplings andtake up the lost motion incident to worn knuckles or sprung jaws, thuseffecting the recoupling of the cars, substantially as shown anddescribed.

2. In combination with a car-coupling, an emergency-key consisting ofthe wedge or block placed between the knuckles thereof to take up thelost motion incident to the knuckles becoming worn or the jaws sprungand means for holding said wedge or block in place, substantially as andfor the purpose set forth.

3. In a car-coupling, the combination therewith, of the wedge or blockplaced between the knuckles thereof and provided with a lug orprojection to rest upon the top of one of said knuckles and prevent saidwedge or block from dropping out of place, substantially as shown anddescribed.

4. In a car-coupling, the combination therewith, of an emergency-keyconsisting of the wedge or block placed between the knuckles thereof andprovided with a hole and pin for suspending the same in position, allfor the purpose of taking up lost motion incident to worn knuckles andsprung jaws, substantially as shown and described.

5. A Wedge or block provided with a lug or projection and a hole inwhich to insert a pin near the top of said Wedge or block, forsuspending the same between the knuckles of car-couplings when saidknuckles become so 10 Worn or the jaws so sprung as that the couplingswill no longer hold together, said wedge or block thus taking up thelost motion and effecting a recoupling of the cars, substantially asshown and described.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my sig- I 5 nature in presence oftwo witnesses.

JOHN T. KEATING. Witnesses:

A. C. SOHAEBER, FRANK V. GAY.

